Performance engineers help software, applications, and digital systems run quickly, reliably, and efficiently. They identify bottlenecks, test performance under real-world conditions, and work with engineering teams to improve speed, scalability, and resilience. Explore vetted Performance Engineer opportunities paying $100,000 or more on Ladders.
Performance engineers plan and execute load, stress, and scalability tests; analyze system behavior; and turn findings into practical improvements. Depending on the role, they may focus on application response times, infrastructure capacity, database performance, or end-to-end user experience. They often partner with software developers, site reliability engineers, architects, and product teams.
Employers commonly seek experience with performance testing tools, scripting or programming, distributed systems, and cloud platforms. Knowledge of observability, profiling, networking, databases, and CI/CD can also be valuable. Strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate technical findings help engineers prioritize and deliver measurable improvements. Requirements vary by employer and seniority.
Performance engineering roles are found across technology, financial services, healthcare, e-commerce, and other industries that depend on reliable digital products. Professionals may advance into senior or lead engineering positions, performance architecture, site reliability engineering, or engineering management. Career paths depend on experience, technical specialization, and organizational needs.
Search Ladders for vetted Performance Engineer openings with salaries of $100,000 or more. Review each listing for responsibilities, required qualifications, compensation details, and work arrangements, then find opportunities that align with your skills and career goals.
Senior Technical Program Manager
$127K - $175K *
Champion the execution of security and privacy initiatives, aligning cross-functional teams to reduce risks and enhance outcomes. Drive strategic planning, maintain clear communication, and prepare ex...
2 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer, Tax Engineering
$191K *
Deliver innovative backend solutions for tax reporting and compliance, ensuring accuracy and scalability across all Coinbase products. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive system design an...
1 week ago
Senior Director, Software Engineering
$145K - $190K *
Lead the charge in designing and optimizing scalable data pipelines using Azure, PySpark, and Airflow. Collaborate with teams to ensure data quality and performance while mentoring engineers and drivi...
3 weeks ago
$110K - $130K *
Champion the development of scalable product operations, enhancing processes and analytics to empower cross-functional teams. Collaborate closely with stakeholders to drive product initiatives and imp...
3 weeks ago
Software Implementation Engineer
$90K - $110K *
Engage clients by leading the technical onboarding of a digital banking platform. Collaborate with internal teams to customize features, support data conversion, and ensure timely, high-quality deploy...
4 days ago
Senior Software Engineer, Kubernetes Runtime and Release
$184K - $356K *
Transform the future of GPU cloud infrastructure by building production systems, developing automation processes, and integrating cutting-edge technology, while collaborating with cross-functional tea...
Reposted today
Senior Observability Engineer (New Relic Consolidation)
$130K - $155K *
Optimize the multi-tenant New Relic consolidation layer, aggregating telemetry across AI agent estates. Collaborate with engineering teams to enhance observability practices and ensure effective monit...
3 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer, Open Harness Engineering
$184K - $356K *
Elevate the future of autonomous software systems by building and optimizing AI agent evaluation frameworks, enhancing usability, reliability, and performance with a collaborative engineering team ded...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$75K - $90K *
Unlock your potential in a dynamic design role focusing on low voltage systems. Collaborate with trade teams to produce innovative installation documentation, ensuring accuracy and quality while manag...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Software Automation & Platform Engineer - Federal Health IT
$110K - $130K *
Champion automation initiatives to enhance enterprise technology operations, transforming manual workflows into efficient systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to modernize processes and de...
Today
Senior ML Operations Engineer II - Monetization
$211K - $248K *
Lead the charge in managing the complete ML model lifecycle, ensuring robust deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement. Collaborate with data scientists to enhance model performance and opera...
2 weeks ago
$120K - $145K *
Empower your career by enhancing our platform's scalability and reliability. As a Senior Platform Engineer, you'll lead infrastructure improvements, optimize performance, and ensure security while col...
3 weeks ago
$124K - $170K *
Lead the charge in innovative software solutions for healthcare, collaborating with diverse teams to enhance patient care and meet customer needs through cutting-edge technology and creative problem-s...
3 weeks ago
Product Owner / Senior Product Owner - Engineering Tools
$78K - $98K *
Shape the future of AEC workflows by leading product ownership and Agile delivery for an Engineering Tools team. Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to prioritize needs, validate outcomes...
3 weeks ago
$125K - $187K *
Transform energy efficiency initiatives by leading a skilled engineering team. Drive project execution, mentor talent, and enhance program delivery across multiple states, ensuring impactful cost savi...
2 weeks ago
Senior Director, Energy Engineering Management
$150K - $180K *
Contribute to strategic leadership in engineering management, aligning execution with business goals. Drive portfolio success, enhance client satisfaction, and empower teams to optimize performance in...
3 weeks ago
Senior Performance Creative Strategist
$110K - $130K *
Drive innovative creative strategies that elevate performance marketing. Lead the development of original concepts and frameworks, leveraging insights and AI to enhance team capabilities and deliver i...
2 weeks ago
Senior Performance Creative Strategist
$100K - $120K *
Pioneer innovative creative strategies that elevate performance marketing. Collaborate across teams to develop impactful video and static ads, leveraging insights and AI to drive results and establish...
2 weeks ago
Mechanical Engineering Consultant 2 - Mission Critical
$145K - $222K *
Advance your career by leading multidiscipline engineering projects, ensuring safety, budget, and schedule compliance while mentoring junior engineers and enhancing client experiences throughout the p...
3 days ago
$78K - $100K *
Lead the end-to-end program management for enterprise clients in financial services, driving alignment and execution across cross-functional teams to achieve measurable business outcomes and ensure se...
1 week ago
$125K - $150K *
Drive your career with innovative AI-driven automation solutions that enhance IT operations and user experience. Collaborate across teams to minimize manual tasks, improve efficiency, and implement in...
1 week ago
$230K - $330K *
Join a team that’s dedicated to delivering complex frontend web features, ensuring reliability and performance. Play a key role in shaping user experiences through collaborative development and proact...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$263K - $395K *
Transform the technical landscape by defining and delivering innovative solutions, mentoring engineers, and shaping strategic initiatives to enhance system architecture and performance across the orga...
1 week ago
$160K - $190K *
Join a team that's redefining enterprise solutions by bridging business strategy and technical execution. As a key engineer, you'll lead integration projects, mentor talent, and drive innovation acros...
1 week ago
Senior Product Manager, Workforce
$95K - $135K *
Advance your career by leading product strategy for workforce solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive innovation, ensuring products meet market needs and deliver value to diverse s...
Reposted 5 days ago
What is a Performance Engineer?
A Performance Engineer evaluates and improves the speed, capacity, stability, and efficiency of software and systems. The work often includes performance testing, identifying bottlenecks, analyzing results, and collaborating on fixes.
What does a Performance Engineer do day to day?
Typical responsibilities include designing load and stress tests, monitoring application and infrastructure behavior, investigating slowdowns, profiling code or services, and sharing recommendations with engineering teams. Duties vary by company and specialization.
What skills are useful for Performance Engineer jobs?
Useful skills may include performance testing, programming or scripting, systems and distributed architecture, cloud platforms, databases, observability, and data analysis. Employers may also value experience with CI/CD and clear technical communication.
Where do Performance Engineers work?
Performance Engineers work in industries that rely on digital services, including technology, financial services, healthcare, retail, and e-commerce. They may focus on applications, platforms, infrastructure, or end-to-end user experience.
How can I find Performance Engineer jobs paying $100,000 or more?
Browse Performance Engineer listings on Ladders and review each posting for salary, responsibilities, qualifications, and work arrangements. Ladders features vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more.